rocks around my father's headstone 

my daughter saying happy birthday to Grandpa 

Dear Daddy,

Happy Birthday.  

Some things that have happened since you've been gone:  

Princess Diana died (a few weeks after you!). 

We bought a house near yours (you would have come over all the time).

D. F.  turned into a toddler (then a little boy--then a pre-teen--then a teenager).

S. L.  was born (he's named after you and very proud of it).

People started using the world wide web every day  (we can e-mail uncle Bruce in Japan for the cost of a local phone call!). 

Terrorists attacked the U.S.--the Twin Towers were hit by airplanes and KNOCKED DOWN!

Your father died (He was finally free from the exhaustion of missing you).

A.S.  was born (hours after your father's heart stopped--in the same hospital).

Mommy met M (his wife died suddenly, like you).

J.D. had 3 boys (not at the same time). 

I began writing for a magazine.  (You would have shown off my articles to everyone). 

Mommy married M (wish they had just eloped--you know how she gets with planning things).

We got a dog! (cats are part of my past--but Mommy still feeds strays).

Mommy and M took the whole family (he has 3 daughters) to Dallas for Thanksgiving.  All the men went to a Cowboys-Jets game. 

J.D. got a dog! 

D.F.  became a Bar Mitzvah (On the bimah, Mommy spoke about you to D.F. before he read from the Torah--there was not a dry eye in the sanctuary).

R.L. continued to play his music, but now he puts out kids' CDs too. (He has a big following in Park Slope and L.A.)

The grandchildren started going to sleepaway camp (just like you).

D.F. got into Junior Honor Society!

I began blogging (writing about myself) on Open Salon (a really cool place where I can make tons of friends without having to step out of my house!).

I love you and miss you every day.

Love,

Kacki/Keeker/Kacks/Karin 

P.S.  I know I've told you many of these things in the past 12 years but I'm confident that this may be the first message to actually get to you  (if my words can reach people in Saudi Arabia, Norway, Russia, and Australia, certainly Heaven is not too far).   

P.P.S.  I read Puff the Magic Dragon (they made a book of it) to A.S. all the time--she knows it's the song you sang to me every night.